An Academy for Liars Chapter 27 Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

After checking out of their motel, Lennon and Dante eat at a diner called Freddy’s. They are the only Black patrons and receive hostile glances, especially from a man wearing white-supremacist patches. Dante instructs Lennon to persuade that man to give them his truck keys. After initial difficulty, Lennon succeeds by appealing to the man’s conspiracy beliefs. They drive three hours to Benedict’s house in Ogden, listening to an audiobook. When no one answers the door, they enter and find Benedict dead at his desk, wrists cut, with a letter opener nearby. Dante insists they leave immediately and go to Eileen’s office, while he remains behind.

Key Events

Lennon and Dante face overt racism at a diner in a small town.
Dante assigns Lennon a persuasion exercise: take a stranger’s car keys.
Lennon struggles at first but successfully manipulates the man using his conspiracy mindset.
The pair drive a stolen pickup to Benedict’s house in Ogden.
They discover Benedict dead from an apparent suicide (slashed wrists, letter opener).
Dante forces Lennon to leave and report to Eileen, staying behind himself.

Character Development

Lennon: Shows growth in her persuasion ability by adapting her approach to a hostile target. Her visceral reaction to Benedict’s body reveals she is still emotionally affected by violence, even as she gains power.
Dante: Takes on a teaching role, pushing Lennon to use her will aggressively. His insistence on leaving the scene and his calm demeanor suggest he either suspects foul play or wants to protect Lennon from deeper involvement.
Benedict (off-page) : Death leaves many questions about his motives and whether anyone else was involved.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Persuasion as a weapon: Dante frames the key-stealing exercise as a lesson in overcoming resistance, reinforcing that persuasion is a tool for survival, not just academics.
Conspiracy and gullibility: Lennon exploits the diner man’s paranoia about school shootings and government plots, showing how easily a closed mind can be controlled by appealing to its own narratives.
Death and secrecy: Benedict’s suicide (or possible murder) introduces a mystery and heightens the danger surrounding the academy and its former members.
The building audiobook novel (Prince Charmer) : The light romance contrasts sharply with the grim reality they drive toward, underscoring the chapter’s tonal shift.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 27 advances the plot by removing Benedict—a key character who might have offered answers—and forces Lennon into a situation where she must act under Dante’s direction while confronting a violent death. It tests her moral limits and shows her growing proficiency with persuasion, even as the stakes become more personal and lethal. The chapter also deepens the sense that the academy’s legacy is stained by secrecy and possible murder.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Dante choose the man in the diner as Lennon’s target?
He is a hostile, overtly bigoted person with strong will. Dante wants Lennon to practice overcoming a difficult mind and to see that persuasion can be used against enemies. The man’s conspiracy views make him vulnerable, but also prove that even the most stubborn mindset can be cracked.
What does Lennon’s method of persuasion reveal about her character growth?
Instead of brute force, she tailors her approach to the target’s worldview. This shows she is moving from hesitation toward strategic thinking—a necessary step for her development as a persuader, even if the tactic is morally dubious.
Why does Dante insist that Lennon go directly to Eileen after discovering Benedict’s body?
He likely wants to control the narrative and keep Lennon out of deeper trouble. Leaving her to report to Eileen also removes her from the scene before any potential investigation, while Dante stays to possibly erase evidence or check for threats.